| 48 | | - | SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has and continues to disrupt learning and adversely impact Hawaii's students, especially the most vulnerable. Data for school year 2021 to 2022 show that more than sixty per cent of elementary and middle school students are one or two grade levels behind in their studies. Students are also in need of more support to build social‑emotional skills and heal from trauma. According to the Afterschool Alliance and National Summer Learning Association, summer learning programs have a proven record of providing the support that students need. In addition to enriching the academic experience and providing opportunities for social-emotional support, summer learning programs provide healthy meals, active play, and hands-on vocational experiences. Importantly, struggling students and children from low-income households often experience the greatest gains from summer learning programs. The legislature further finds that the establishment of the elementary and secondary school emergency relief fund, created under federal legislation passed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, has provided an unprecedented amount of funds to support public schools and summer learning programs. The legislature also finds, however, that the department of education needs additional capacity to coordinate and support efforts to accelerate learning during the summer. By coordinating services and targeting the most impacted and vulnerable students, the department of education can reduce or eliminate redundant efforts and promote the equitable provision of services. Additional capacity will also help the department of education coordinate its efforts with the efforts of other governmental agencies and community organizations that provide summer programming for students, which, in turn, helps identify gaps in summer learning opportunities. The purpose of this Act is to establish and fund a summer learning coordinator position within the department of education. SECTION 2. There is established within the department of education one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) permanent position of summer learning coordinator to coordinate all school-based summer programs for children, including but not limited to the public summer school, e-school summer program, Credit Recovery summer program, alternative learning summer programs, and other school-based summer programs. SECTION 3. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $125,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2022-2023 to establish one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) permanent position of summer learning coordinator within the department of education. The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of education for the purposes of this Act. SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2022. |
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| 47 | + | SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has and continues to disrupt learning and adversely impact Hawaii's students, especially the most vulnerable. Data for school year 2021 to 2022 show that more than sixty per cent of elementary and middle school students are one or two grade levels behind in their studies. Students are also in need of more support to build social‑emotional skills and heal from trauma. According to the Afterschool Alliance and National Summer Learning Association, summer learning programs have a proven record of providing the support that students need. In addition to enriching the academic experience and providing opportunities for social-emotional support, summer learning programs provide healthy meals, active play, and hands-on vocational experiences. Importantly, struggling students and children from low-income households often experience the greatest gains from summer learning programs. The legislature further finds that the establishment of the elementary and secondary school emergency relief fund, created under federal legislation passed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, has provided an unprecedented amount of funds to support public schools and summer learning programs. The legislature also finds, however, that the department of education needs additional capacity to coordinate and support efforts to accelerate learning during the summer. By coordinating services and targeting the most impacted and vulnerable students, the department of education can reduce or eliminate redundant efforts and promote the equitable provision of services. Additional capacity will also help the department of education coordinate its efforts with the efforts of other governmental agencies and community organizations that provide summer programming for students, which, in turn, helps identify gaps in summer learning opportunities. The purpose of this Act is to establish and fund a summer learning coordinator position within the department of education. SECTION 2. There is established within the department of education one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) permanent position of summer learning coordinator to coordinate all school-based summer programs for children, including but not limited to the public summer school, e-school summer program, Credit Recovery summer program, alternative learning summer programs, and other school-based summer programs. SECTION 3. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2022-2023 to establish one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) permanent position of summer learning coordinator within the department of education. The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of education for the purposes of this Act. SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2051. |
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